Container-forming machine

ABSTRACT

An improved turret container-forming machine having a plurality of mandrels, a sidewall applicator, a bottom disc inserter, and consecutively positioned operating stations, each station having a separate machine component for automatically, continuously forming cartons.

United States Patent Carl R. Peacock Fulton, N.Y.

Oct. 23, 1969 Dec. 21, 1971 Phillips Petroleum Company Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee CONTAINER-FORMING MACHINE 9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 93/392, 93/44.lR,93/55.1R lnt. Cl B3lb 3/02, B31b 3/60, B31b 17/02 Field of Search 93/39. 1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,973,406 9/1934 Cooley 93/393 2,725,001 11/1955 O'Neil 93/392 2,971,636 2/1961 Engleson et a] 93/44.] X 3,118,351 1/1964 Meyer-Jagcnberg 93/39.1

Primary Examiner-Theron E. Condon Assistant ExaminerNeil Abrams Attorney-Young and Quigg ABSTRACT: An improved turret container-forming machine having a plurality of mandrels, a sidewall applicator, a bottom disc inserter, and consecutively positioned operating stations, each station having a separate machine component for automatically, continuously forming cartons.

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A T TORNEVS CONTAIN Ell-FORMING MACHINE This invention relates to an improved container-forming machine. In another aspect, this invention relates to an improved apparatus for a container-forming machine.

l-leretofore utilized container-forming machines experienced problems in most every function performed by the machine. For example, the sidewall blank feeding mechanism often malfunctioned or failed to properly issue a blank in a correct position for wrapping said blank around a mandrel. Sealing of the blanks required a large number of complicated machine components and, once wrapped around a mandrel, the sealed sidewall was often misaligned relative to the mandrel and the associated machine component. A misaligned sidewall thereafter caused other carton-forming operations to improperly function resulting in a malformed carton that would necessarily be rejected.

Correctly positioned sidewalls also were damaged during insertion of the bottom member and the sealing of said member. These problems were frequently caused by improper positioning of a bottom member relative to an inserting means or the failure of the inserting means to correctly position the bottom member relative to the sealed sidewall prior to sealing. In order to correct the problems associated with insertion of the bottom member, machines were constructed which formed a container having a recessed bottom member with a downwardly extending rim that was thereafter sealed to the sidewall. This container utilized substantially more material to construct, was of more fragile construction, and formed a mating of parts that were difficult to sea].

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved container-forming machine. Another object of this invention is to provide a container-forming machine with improved machine components. Yet another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for correctly aligning a sidewall on a mandrel. A further object of this invention is to provide a unique apparatus for inserting a member into a chamber of a body. A still further object of this invention is to provide a machine for automatically, substantially continuously forming cartons. Another object of this invention is to provide a machine that will continue to operate until a preselected, consecutively occuring number of machine component malfunctions have occurred.

Other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a study of the disclosure, the appended claims, and the drawings.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the turret machine, the mandrels, and the operating stations of this invention;

FIG. 2 isa diagrammatic side view in partial cross section of station 1 and the associated machine component of the carton-forming machine of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic side view in partial cross section of station 2 and the associated machine component; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of a portion of the machine component of station 2;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic side view in partial cross section of station 3 and the associated machine component;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic side view in partial cross section of station 4 and the associated machine component;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic side view in partial cross section of station 5 and the associated machine component; and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic side view of station 6 and the associated machine component;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic side view in partial cross section showing a top roll-crimper apparatus of the machine of this invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, letters A-G represent stations of the machine with stations A-F being stations consecutively positioned around a turret l. A plurality of elongated, substantially vertically positioned mandrels 2 are connected at their upper end in spaced relation one to the other. Each mandrel ,.;has walls 3, a recessed base 4, upper and lower ends 5, 6

spaced relative to an axis 8 of the turret l for intermittent movement of the mandrel 2 along a common pathway from one to another of the stations A, B, C, D, E, and F. Wrapping means 9, heating means 10, and a sidewall blank positioning element 11 are positioned adjacent that mandrel 2 located at the first station A. A bottom member magazine 12 and a bot tom member inserting means 13 are positioned adjacent a mandrel 2 located at the second station E. A seating-detecting means 14 is positioned adjacent a mandrel 2 located at the third station C, a heating means 15 is positioned adjacent a mandrel 2 located at the fourth station D, a bottom crimpingsealing means 16 is positioned adjacent a mandrel 2 located at the fifth station E, and a stripping means 17 is positioned ad- 1 5 jacent a mandrel 2 located at the sixth: station F. A top curling means 18 is positioned at the seventh station G that is spaced a distance from the sixth station and connected thereto by conveying means 19 for moving a sidewall with a sealed bottom member to other machine components. Sensing means 20, 21 are positioned adjacent the pathway of the mandrels 2 of the turret l for sensing malfunctions of a machine component and delivering a signal responsive to a detected malfunction. It should be understood that the number of stations and the functions performed at each station can be varied without departing from the invention.

A plurality of sidewall clamps 22, each having a face 23, are movably attached to the turret l for movement between a first position, as shown at station F, at which the face 23 is spaced from a sidewall 24 mounted on a mandrel 2 and a second position, as shown at stations A, B, C, D, or E at which the face is in contact with and urging the overlapping edges of a sidewall 24 against the wall 3 of the mandrel 2 covered by said sidewall. The turret 1 and associated sidewall clamps 22 and mandrel 2 are rotatable by a power source and control for intermittent movement from one to another of the consecutively positioned stations by a turret index drive (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 2, at the first station A a sidewall magazine 25 is positioned adjacent and at a higher elevation than a mandrel 2 located at said first station A. The sidewall magazine has an elongated chamber 26, a downwardly angled floor 27 and biasing means 28. The lower end 29 of the floor 27 of the sidewall magazine 25 has aru opening for separately passing sidewall blanks from the chamber through the opening. The sidewall blanks 24 are preferably maintained within the magazine 25 in a substantially vertical position. The biasing means 28 can be a weight, spring, or other device for urging the sidewall blanks 24 longitudinally through the chamber 26 toward the opening 30 on the lower end 29 of the floor 27 The thickness of the sidewall blanks 24 and the downwardly angled floor 27 of the magazine 25 space the upper edge of each blank at a different elevation thereby vertically separating a portion of one blank from the other to facilitate separate feeding of the blanks through the opening 30 of the floor 27. The angled floor 27 also decreases the amount of force required to move the sidewall blanks longitudinally through the chamber 26 toward the opening. By decreasing the biasing force, the possibility of damaging sidewall blanks within the magazine is reduced.

A sidewall feed assembly 31 having, a movable blade 32 is attached to the sidewall magazine 25 adjacent the opening 30 of the floor 27. The blade 32 extends into the chamber 26 of the magazine and is vertically movable between a first position (shown by broken lines) at which the blade is adjacent and at a higher elevation than the opening 30 of the floor 27 of the magazine and an intervening sidewall blank 24 and a second position at which the blade 32 is adjacent the opening 30 and the intervening sidewall blank 24 is urged through the opening 30 by the blade 32 moving from the first to the second position. A sidewall conveying means, preferably a rotatable chain 33 with a plurality of outwardly positioned lugs 34 connected thereto is positioned adjacent and at :a lower elevation than the opening 29 of the sidewall magazine 25 for receiving a sidewall blank 24 from the magam'ne 25, holding and moving the sidewall blank 24 downwardly from the magazine 25 at a controlled rate, and releasing the blank for gravitational positioning of the blank 24 in a sidewall blank positioning element 11. It is preferred that a heating means comprising a pair of oppositely directed heaters are positioned adjacent opposed edges and sides of a sidewall blank 24 held by the sidewall conveying means for heating portions of the sidewall blank 24 during downward movement of the blank by the conveying means. Other means for sealing one edge of the blank to the other, such as glue and the like, can be utilized but it is preferred that the edges be polyethylene coated and said edges be heat-sealed one to the other. l-lot air heaters are preferred, but other type heaters can be utilized to raise the temperatures to seal together the edges of the sidewall blanks 24.

A sidewall blank positioning element 11 is positioned adjacent a mandrel 2 located at the first station A. The positioning element 11 has vertical retaining members 36 and a sidewall supporting base 37. The supporting base 37 is positioned substantially parallel to,spaced laterally from, and at a lower elevation than the lower end 6 of a mandrel 2 located at the first station A. The vertical members 36 and supporting base 37 are adjacent and at a lower elevation than the sidewall magazine 25 for receiving sidewall blanks from the magazine, maintaining the sidewall blanks in a vertical position, and gravitationally aligning a bottom edge of a blank relative to the end 6 of the mandrel 2. By providing a supporting base 37 that permits gravitational alignment of the sidewall blank relative to the end 6 of the mandrel 2, alignment of the sidewall blank 24 is more precise, damage of sidewalls is reduced, and subsequent bottom sealing is more uniform and fluidtight.

Wrapping means 9 are positioned adjacent a mandrel 2 located at the first station A and separated therefrom by a heated sidewall 24 positioned in the positioning element 11. The wrapping means has movable first and second wrapping wings 40, 41 and a holding bar 42 for movement from a first position (shown in FIG. 2) at which the wrapping wings 40, 41 and holding bar 42 are spaced from the sidewall blank 24 in the positioning element 11 and a second position (shown in FIG. 1) at which the first and second wrapping wings 40, 41 and holding bar 42 are urging the sidewall blank into circumscribing and overlapping contact with the walls 3 of the mandrel 2. The wrapping wings 40, 41 and holding bar 42 are moved by a power source 43 laterally into contact with the sidewall 24 positioned in the positioning element 11 with the holding bar 42 first holding the sidewall 24 against the mandrel 2 and the wings 40, 41 thereafter bending the sidewall around the mandrel. By providing only lateral movement of the sidewall 24 from the supporting base 37 of the positioning element 11 to the mandrel 2, the bottom edge of the sidewall blank is maintained in the plane of the supporting base 37 and at a preselected distance downwardly from the end 6 of the mandrel. As viewed best in FIG. 1, the inner surface 44 of the wings 40, 41 are of the general configuration of the mandrel 2 with intervening sidewall 24 thereby providing a tight forcible contact of the sidewall 24 with the mandrel 2. Overlapping of the sidewall 24 by the wings 40, 41 can be accomplished by moving one wing prior to movement of the other wing, providing different alignment of each wing relative to the mandrel, attaching the wing actuating rods 45 to the wings at different relative positions, or by other means known in the mechanical art.

A sensing means 20, here shown as a sidewall sensor having a deflectable switch arm 46 is positioned adjacent and at a lower elevation than the lower end 6 of the mandrel 2 and in the pathway of a sidewall 24 mounted on said mandrel 2 moving from the first to a second station for sensing a sidewall on a mandrel passing said sensor 20 and delivering a signal in the absence of said sidewall. In the absence of a sidewall, the switch arm 46 passes beneath the lower end 6 of the mandrel 2 and is not deflected, whereas, if a sidewall is present, the sidewall contacts and deflects the switch arm 46.

The signal delivered by the switch 20 in response to movement of the switch arm 46 is delivered to control means 47 that is'electrically connected to a bottom member inserting means 13 and other machine components 14, 15, 16, 17 that are associated with the turret l. A signal from the switch 20 indicating the absence of a sidewall 24 on a mandrel 2 passing from the first to the second station causes the control means 47 to prevent operation of the bottom member inserting means 13 and the other machine components when the turret 1 indexes that mandrel 2 having no sidewall to the station adjacent the particular machine component. That control means 47 is not, however, a part of this invention.

FIG. 3 shows means for inserting a bottom member into a lower projecting portion of a sidewall 24 covering a mandrel 2. That bottom member inserting means 13 and associated bottom member magazine 12 are positioned adjacent a mandrel 2 located at the second station B. The bottom disc magazine 12 has a plurality of disc retaining rods 48, an opening 49 adjacent the magazine base 50, and is attached to a movable extractor 51, having a vacuum head 52, movable by a power source (not shown) for creating a vacuum and intermittently moving a bottom disc through the opening 49 of the magazine 12, releasing the attached disc in contact with the bottom member inserting means 13 by releasing the vacuum, and returning to a position adjacent the magazine 12.

The bottom member inserting means 13 is positioned adjacent the bottom member magazine 12 and a mandrel located at the second station B at a lower elevation than the lower end of a sidewall 24 mounted on the mandrel 2. The inserting means 13 has an aligning element 53 having a receiving surface 54 with an opening 55 and a rim 56 extending around a portion of the periphery of the receiving surface. The opening 55 of the receiving surface 54 is coaxially aligned relative to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel 2 and adjacent the chamber 57 defined by a body, here a sidewall, encompassing said mandrel 2. The rim 56 of the receiving surface contacts a member moving across the receiving surface and aligns said member relative to the sidewall. A pair of opposed holding lugs 58 are separately attached to the rim 56 and extend a distance from the rim toward the opening 55 whereby portions of each opposed lug 58 overlie separate portions of the receiving surface 54. An inserting rod 59 having an elongated end 60 is positioned within the opening 55, attached to an elevator means 61, and is movable in response to actuation of the elevator means 61 from a first position at which the end is immediately below a member positioned between the lugs 58 and the receiving surface 54, through a first distance to a second position at which the end 60 and portions of the member are within the chamber 57 and portions of the member are held between the lugs 58 and the receiving surface 54, and through a second distance to a third position at which the end 60 and the member are within the chamber of the body. By so constructing the bottom member inserting means, the bottom member is flexed to a curved or bowed configuration, the central portion of the disc is inserted into the chamber of the body and the portions of the member restricted by the lugs are thereafter released and snap into the chamber. This construction allows a member or bottom disc to be correctly positioned within the chamber without lateral movement of the disc relative to the sidewall or body upon initial contact of the disc with the body. This lateral movement of the disc is prevented by contact of the disc by the lugs 58. For simplicity in construction, it has been found that each lug 58 should be positioned on the rim 56 at a location adjacent a side of the pathway of a member moving across the receiving surface 54. Although the distance each lug 58 extends from the rim 56 toward the opening is dependent upon the spacing of the receiving surface 54 from the entrance of the chamber 57, it has been found that each lug should preferably extend from an edge of the member toward the inserting rod 59 a distance in the range of 0.5 to 5 percent of the width of the bottom disc or member. The distance of the receiving surface 54 to the chamber 57 should be constructed for movement of the member by the rod 59 as previously described. Lugs 58 extending a lesser distance toward the opening do not permit sufficient bending of the disc for satisfactorily inserting the bottom member and larger lugs cause the bottom member to objectionably deform.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the bottom member described with reference to FIG. 3 showing the inserting means 60, the lugs 58, and the receiving surface 54, and the inserting rod 59.

FIG. 5 shows a seating-detecting means 14 positioned adjacent and at a lower elevation than a mandrel 2 located at the third station C. The seating-detecting means M comprises a seating head 62, a sensing switch 63, and a power source 64 for intermittently raising the seating head 62 into contact with a bottom disc for seating the bottom disc at a preselected position relative to a sidewall 24 circumscribing a mandrel 2 and signaling the control means 47 in the absence of a bottom disc.

FIG. 6 shows a heating means 15 positioned coaxially adjacent and at a lower elevation than a mandrel 2 located at the fourth station D. The heating means 15 comprises a heating head 65 and a power source 66 for moving the heating head 65 into close proximity with portions of the bottom member and the lower portions of the sidewall 24 circumscribing a mandrel 2 for raising the temperature of said portions to above a value at which the heated surfaces will adhere one to another upon placing said surfaces in forcible contact. The heating means can be hotair or radiant type heaters, or a combination of both types.

H6. 7 shows a bottom crimping-sealing means 16 positioned adjacent a mandrel 2 located at a fifth station E. The bottom crimping-sealing means 16 comprises a movable crimping sleeve 67 circumscribing a sealing element 68. The upper end of the crimping sleeve is angled downwardly and inwardly and is located adjacent a sidewall mounted on a mandrel for movement by a power source into contact with the lower portion of the sidewall for crimping said portion inwardly toward the axis of the mandrel. The upper end of the sealing element is substantially parallel to the recessed base 4 of the mandrel 2 for forcibly compressing the bottom disc and the crimped lower portion of the sidewall together between the upper end of the sealing element 68 and the end 6 of the mandrel 2. The crimping sleeve 67 is downwardly movable during crimping operations for engagement of the sealing element 68 after the crimping sleeve 67 has moved inwardly all portions of the sidewall 24 positioned at a lower elevation than the bottom disc. Although the upper end of the sealing element 68 has a surface substantially parallel to the end 6 of the mandrel 2, it is preferred that said upper end have a plurality of protrusions 70 formed thereon to increase the pressure exerted on localized portions of the sidewall thereby assuring a fluidtight seal.

FIG; 8 shows a stripping means 17 positioned adjacent a mandrel 2 located at a sixth station F. The stripping means 17 comprises a vacuum head 71 and a power source 72 for moving the vacuum head into contact with a bottom disc extracting the sidewall and associated bottom from the mandrel 2, and depositing the extracted carton on a conveying means l9, better shown in FIG. ll.

FIG. 9 shows a top-curling means 18 positioned at the seventh station G that is located a distance spaced from the sixth station F. The top-curling means 118 comprises a lifting stool 72 movable by power source 74. The lifting stool 73 has holding wings 75 for gripping the carton and maintaining said carton against rotation. A rotatable top-curling element 76 is positioned adjacent and at a higher elevation than the upper edge of the carton on the lifting stool. The top-curling element 76 has an upwardly and outwardly directed curling surface 77 and movable directing elements 78 for outwardly rolling the top of the container during contact and rotation of the topcurling element 76 relative to the carton.

in the operation of the improved apparatus of this invention, the mandrels 2 are intermittently indexed to the next successive station by a power source and associated index drive. Considering the operation performed at each station, a sidewall blank is fed from the sidewall magazine by the sidewall feed assembly 31 to a lug 34. The lug 34 lowers the sidewall at a controlled rate past heating means 116 which head opposed sides and ends of the blank. The lug 36 thereafter releases the heated sidewall which gravitationally aligns its lower edge relative to the lower end of a mandrel 2 located at the first station A on the sidewall supporting base 37 of the positioning element lll. Thereafter, the holding bar 62 moves a portion of the sidewall into contact with the mandrel 2 and the first and second wrapping wings M), dll move other portions of the sidewall circumferentially around the mandrel and into overlapping relationship. The face 23 of the sidewall clamp 22 moves into forcible contact with the overlapping edges of the sidewall thereby holding the sidewall forcibly against the mandrel 2 and assuring a fluidtight seal of the heated overlapping edges. The wings ilt), M are then retracted and the mandrel is moved to the second station 1B. in moving from the fust to the second station, sensing means 20 determine if a sidewall has, in fact, been installed on the mandrel 2 and signals a controlling means d7 in response to that operation.

At the second station E, a bottom disc is fed from the bottom member magazine 12 to the bottom member inserting means 113 which actuates the inserting rod 59 to move the bottom disc into the lower portion of the sidewall surrounding the mandrel 2. Inserting rod 59 then retracts and that mandrel 2 is moved to the third station C.

At the third station C, a seating-detecting means Ml moves upwardly into the sidewall, correctly positioning the bottom disc relative to the lower edge of said sidewall, and indicates to the controlling means 47 the presence or absence of a bottom disc therein. The seating-detecting means Ml then retracts and that mandrel is moved to the fourth station D.

At the fourth station D, the heating means if moves upwardly into a position for heating portions of the bottom disc and sidewall, heats said portions and thereafter retracts to a position spaced from the mandrel, sidewall and associated disc. That mandrel 2 is then moved to the fifth station 18.

At the fifth station E, the crimping-sealing means 16 is moved upwardly by the power source 69 to force portions of the sidewall inwardly and into forcible contact with the bottom disc. The crimping-sealing means 16 thereafter retracts and that mandrel is moved to the sixth station F.

At the sixth station F, the vacuum head 71 of the stripping means It? contacts the bottom of the container, extracts the container from the mandrel 2, and deposits said container on conveying means 19 which moves the container to the seventh station G at which the top of the container is curled. That mandrel then proceeds to the first station A to initiate a new cycle.

The control means 47 and associated sensing means 20, 21 and detecting means M is connected to each machine component. A signal delivered to a machine component indicating a malfunction of the previous machine component prevents the carton-forming operation of that machine component on the mandrel 2 associated with the malfunction. A counting mechanism permits the machine of this invention to continue operation until a preselected consecutively occurring number of machine component malfunctions have occurred.

The improved carton-forming machine and associated machine components of this invention is therefore constructed to automatically, substantially continuously form cartons of improved quality. Other modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawing, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited thereto.

lclaim:

1. An improved container-forming machine, comprising:

a plurality of elongated, substantially vertically positioned mandrels, each mandrel having walls, a recessed base, upper and lower ends, and being connected in spaced relation at the upper end to a turret with all mandrels radially and arcuately equally spaced relative to an axis of the turret for intermittent movement of the mandrels along a common pathway from one to another of a plurality of consecutively positioned stations;

a sidewall magazine having an opening and being positioned adjacent and at a higher elevation than a mandrel located at a first station, said sidewall magazine being of dimension sufficient for containing a plurality of sidewall blanks in a vertical position for separately, vertically passing sidewall blanks through the opening;

a sidewall conveying means positioned adjacent the opening of the magazine for receiving a sidewall from the magazine, moving the sidewall downwardly toward a hereafter sidewall blank positioning element and releasing the blank for gravitational positioning of the blank in said hereafter positioning element;

a sidewall blank positioning element having vertical retaining members and a supporting base, said base being substantially parallel to, spaced laterally from, and at a lower elevation than the lower end of a mandrel located at the first station and said vertical members being adjacent and at a lower elevation than the magazine for receiving sidewall blanks from the sidewall conveying means, maintaining the sidewall blanks in a vertical position, and gravitationally aligning a bottom edge of a sidewall blank relative to the recessed base of the mandrel;

wrapping means for laterally moving a sidewall blank from the sidewall blank positioning element into contact with the walls of the mandrel, maintaining the bottom edge of the sidewall blank in the plane of the supporting base, and wrapping the sidewall blank around said mandrel in circumferential overlapping relationship;

means for sealing the overlapping portions of the blank one to another;

means for inserting and sealing a bottom disc into the lower portion of the sidewall blank covering the mandrel;

a bottom disc magazine having an opening; and

an extractor having a vacuum head adjacent a disc in the 7 magazine and being movably attached to the bottom disc magazine for intermittently moving a disc through the opening of the magazine, releasing the attached disc in contact with the means for inserting a bottom disc, and returning to a position adjacent said magazine.

2. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sidewall magazine includes a sidewall feed assembly having a blade extending into the chamber of the sidewall magazine, said blade being vertically movable between a first position at which the blade is adjacent and at a higher elevation than the opening of the magazine and an intervening sidewall blank and a second position at which the blade is adjacent the opening of the magazine and the intervening sidewall blank is urged through the opening of the magazine by the blade moving from the first to the second position.

3. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sidewall magazine has an elongated chamber, a downwardly angled floor, and biasing means for urging sidewall blanks longitudinally through the chamber toward the opening on the lower end of said floor.

4. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the wrapping means is adjacent a mandrel located at the first station and separated therefrom by a sidewall blank positioned in the sidewall-blank positioning element, said wrapping apparatus having movable first and second wrapping wings and a holding bar for movement from a first position at which the wrapping wings and holding bar are spaced from the sidewall blank and a second position at which the first and second wrapping wings and holding bar are urging the sidewall blank into circumscribing and overlapping contact with the walls of the mandrel.

5. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including a pair of oppositely directed heaters positioned adjacent opposed edges and sides of a blank held by the conveying means for heating portions of the sidewall blank.

6. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the conveying means is a rotatable chain having lug elements connected thereto for holding a sidewall blank.

7. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1,1ncluding a sidewall sensor having a deflectable switch arm adjacent being positioned and at a lower elevation than the lower end of the mandrel in the pathway of a sidewall mounted on said mandrel moving from the first to a second station for sensing a sidewall on a mandrel passing said sensor and delivering a signal in the absence of said sidewall, and

control means attached to the sidewall sensor and the bottom member inserting means for receiving signals from the sensing means and preventing operation of the bottom member inserting means on mandrels having no sidewalls.

8. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sealing means includes a plurality of sidewall clamps having a face, each movably attached to the turret for movement between the first position wherein the face is spaced from a mandrel and a second position in which the face is in contact with and forcefully urging the overlapping edges of a sidewall against the mandrel covered by said sidewall.

9. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for sealing and inserting the bottom disc is positioned adjacent a second station for inserting a bottom disc into the sidewalls surrounding a mandrel, and further including a bottom disc seater-detector positioned adjacent a third station for seating the bottom disc at a preselected position relative to a sidewall circumscribing a mandrel and detecting the correct positioning of said bottom disc, a bottom discsidewall heating means positioned adjacent a fourth station for heating portions of the bottom disc and a sidewall circumscribing a mandrel, a bottom crimping-sealing means positioned adjacent a fifth station for crimping and sealing lower portions of a sidewall to a bottom disc, and a stripping means positioned adjacent a sixth station for removing a sidewall and associated bottom disc from a mandrel.

l i i i 

1. An improved container-forming machine, comprising: a plurality of elongated, substantially vertically positioned mandrels, each mandrel having walls, a recessed base, upper and lower ends, and being connected in spaced relation at the upper end to a turret with all mandrels radially and arcuately equally spaced relative to an axis of the turret for intermittent movement of the mandrels along a common pathway from one to another of a plurality of consecutively positioned stations; a sidewall magazine having an opening and being positioned adjacent and at a higher elevation than a mandrel located at a first station, said sidewall magazine being of dimension sufficient for containing a plurality of sidewall blanks in a vertical position for separately, vertically passing sidewall blanks through the opening; a sidewall conveying means positioned adjacent the opening of the magazine for receiving a sidewall from the magazine, moving the sidewall downwardly toward a hereafter sidewall blank positioning element and releasing the blank for gravitational positioning of the blank in said hereafter positioning element; a sidewall blank positioning element having vertical retaining members and a supporting base, said base being substantially parallel to, spaced laterally from, and at a lower elevation than the lower end of a mandrel located at the first station and said vertical members being adjacent and at a lower elevation than the magazine for receiving sidewall blanks from the sidewall conveying means, maintaining the sidewall blanks in a vertical position, and gravitationally aligning a bottom edge of a sidewall blank relative to the recessed base of the mandrel; wrapping means for laterally moving a sidewall blank from the sidewall blank positioning element into contact with the walls of the mandrel, maintaining the bottom edge of the sidewall blank in the plane of the supporting base, and wrapping the sidewall blank around said mandrel in circumferential overlapping relationship; means for sealing the overlapping portions of the blank one to another; meAns for inserting and sealing a bottom disc into the lower portion of the sidewall blank covering the mandrel; a bottom disc magazine having an opening; and an extractor having a vacuum head adjacent a disc in the magazine and being movably attached to the bottom disc magazine for intermittently moving a disc through the opening of the magazine, releasing the attached disc in contact with the means for inserting a bottom disc, and returning to a position adjacent said magazine.
 2. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sidewall magazine includes a sidewall feed assembly having a blade extending into the chamber of the sidewall magazine, said blade being vertically movable between a first position at which the blade is adjacent and at a higher elevation than the opening of the magazine and an intervening sidewall blank and a second position at which the blade is adjacent the opening of the magazine and the intervening sidewall blank is urged through the opening of the magazine by the blade moving from the first to the second position.
 3. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sidewall magazine has an elongated chamber, a downwardly angled floor, and biasing means for urging sidewall blanks longitudinally through the chamber toward the opening on the lower end of said floor.
 4. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the wrapping means is adjacent a mandrel located at the first station and separated therefrom by a sidewall blank positioned in the sidewall-blank positioning element, said wrapping apparatus having movable first and second wrapping wings and a holding bar for movement from a first position at which the wrapping wings and holding bar are spaced from the sidewall blank and a second position at which the first and second wrapping wings and holding bar are urging the sidewall blank into circumscribing and overlapping contact with the walls of the mandrel.
 5. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including a pair of oppositely directed heaters positioned adjacent opposed edges and sides of a blank held by the conveying means for heating portions of the sidewall blank.
 6. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the conveying means is a rotatable chain having lug elements connected thereto for holding a sidewall blank.
 7. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including a sidewall sensor having a deflectable switch arm adjacent being positioned and at a lower elevation than the lower end of the mandrel in the pathway of a sidewall mounted on said mandrel moving from the first to a second station for sensing a sidewall on a mandrel passing said sensor and delivering a signal in the absence of said sidewall, and control means attached to the sidewall sensor and the bottom member inserting means for receiving signals from the sensing means and preventing operation of the bottom member inserting means on mandrels having no sidewalls.
 8. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sealing means includes a plurality of sidewall clamps having a face, each movably attached to the turret for movement between the first position wherein the face is spaced from a mandrel and a second position in which the face is in contact with and forcefully urging the overlapping edges of a sidewall against the mandrel covered by said sidewall.
 9. An improved apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for sealing and inserting the bottom disc is positioned adjacent a second station for inserting a bottom disc into the sidewalls surrounding a mandrel, and further including a bottom disc seater-detector positioned adjacent a third station for seating the bottom disc at a preselected position relative to a sidewall circumscribing a mandrel and detecting the correct positioning of said bottom disc, a bottom disc-sidewall heating means positioned adjacent a fourth station for heating portions of the bottom disc and a sidewall circumscribIng a mandrel, a bottom crimping-sealing means positioned adjacent a fifth station for crimping and sealing lower portions of a sidewall to a bottom disc, and a stripping means positioned adjacent a sixth station for removing a sidewall and associated bottom disc from a mandrel. 